Purulent pharyngitis: treatment, symptoms and prevention. Danger of purulent pharyngitis

In the practice of the therapist and the otorhinolaryngologist, diseases of the upper respiratory tract are quite common. Especially in the autumn-winter period. Pathogens can be very different, but the most severe are bacterial infections, for example purulent pharyngitis. Symptoms and treatment of it will be described below, in the relevant sections of the article. For "seeding" it can be said that this disease is rarely isolated. Most often it is a complication of another pathology.

Definition

Purulent pharyngitis is an infectious disease of the mucous membrane of the pharynx caused by pathogenic microorganisms. Most often this process develops as a result of trauma to the neck organs and attachment of secondary microflora or as a complication of inflammatory diseases of neighboring tissues and organs.

The disease occurs against a background of severe intoxication, so the patient should immediately go to the hospital for emergency treatment. Low-quality or untimely treatment can seriously harm the patient and cause a lot of complications.

Causes

Purulent pharyngitis can cause various microorganisms, but the most common option is beta-hemolytic group A streptococcus . Arganobacteria, gonorrhea, spirochetes, mycoplasmas and chlamydia may be the cause of the disease. In addition, acute purulent pharyngitis can cause and viruses, for example, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, herpes group viruses, influenza, parainfluenza.

At risk are children from five to fifteen years old and new recruits, since they are most of the time in organized groups. The causative agent is transmitted by airborne droplets, and the rate of spread depends on the crowding of people.

Pathogenesis

Purulent pharyngitis begins with the fact that the bacteria colonize the mucous membrane of the oropharynx. Local inflammation develops, accompanied by swelling, redness and pain. The causative agent penetrates into the lymphoid tissue of the tonsils, causing their increase and accumulation of pus in the follicles. On the mucous back of the throat also appears pus, it dries up and forms crusts.

At the same time, the toxins that bacteria secrete improve the permeability of the vessel walls, and this allows microbial agents to enter the systemic circulation. An increase in the number of pathogens stimulates the immune system. In the body, antibodies to the pathogen appear. But, in addition, they react to the cells of the heart muscle and kidneys, which causes severe complications.

Symptoms

Purulent pharyngitis develops three to four days after contact with a sick person. In adults, the disease begins with a sharp pain in the throat when swallowing. At the same time, there is headache, weakness and fever. These symptoms are caused by intoxication of the body.

In general, the condition of patients is estimated as moderate. The temperature does not exceed 39 degrees Celsius, there is rapid heart beat and breathing. Mucous gullet reddened, palatine tonsils enlarged, they may be yellowish raids. Patients complain of pain when swallowing, eating, talking. Some patients experience a dry cough and a feeling of sore throat. In addition to inflammation in the tissues of the oropharynx, changes are observed in the nasal passages, where pus and mucus can accumulate. It flows down the back wall of the pharynx and aggravates the inflammation.

In addition, patients have symptoms of general intoxication: weakness, lethargy, headache, discomfort in the muscles, joints and bones. The temperature is usually subfebrile (up to thirty seven degrees), but with the appearance of pus it can reach febrile digits.

In the average version, this is how purulent pharyngitis manifests itself. Symptoms can vary depending on the age of a person and the properties of his immunity. In general, the disease lasts no more than a week and ends on its own even without treatment. Symptoms of inflammation go away, but difficulties with swallowing may remain for a while, since the tonsils will be increased for another couple of weeks.

Purulent pharyngitis of children

The disease is more often diagnosed in patients of this age category and is more violent. The incubation period is reduced to twenty-four hours, the first symptom is the reddening of the throat. Purulent pharyngitis in this case is a secondary disease, and the focus of infection can be found in the lungs and in the paranasal sinuses. Chronic pharyngitis can be caused by reflux disease or regurgitation of an infant.

Symptoms of the disease in children correspond to those of adults:

- sore throat when swallowing and eating;

- temperature rise;

- drowsiness, weakness and lack of appetite;

Dry coughing.

Complications

There are purulent and non-purulent complications of pharyngitis. The first, as a rule, are found in neighboring anatomical areas in the form of otitis, sinusitis, sinusitis, as well as phlegmon and abscesses of fatty tissue. In rare cases, foci of infection can be in the joints, bones, internal organs. Until the first antibiotics appeared, the incidence of complications was approaching fifteen percent of the total number of cases. To date, such patients are less common. This is due both to the improvement of the quality and accessibility of treatment, and to the fact that people rarely consult a doctor, engaged in self-medication.

Pulmonary complications include pneumonia, myocarditis, glomerulonephritis and other diseases that develop against the backdrop of compromised immunity. This is due to the fact that the antigens of the pathogen mimic the receptors located on the surface of the cells of the parenchymal organs, for example, the heart or kidneys.

Diagnostics

How to identify purulent pharyngitis? Photo of the oropharynx in this case for the specialist will not be very informative, since reddening of the mucosa will be observed with a significant number of diseases. In addition, only fortune tellers diagnose, and at the same time and treat, according to the photograph.

The doctor should carefully ask the patient, learn the details of the disease first-hand. Then measure the temperature, feel the lymph nodes of the head and neck and, of course, look at the throat. For differential diagnosis, he may need a sterile spatula. With his help, the doctor will try to separate the plaque and pus and look at the result. If the films are removed easily, and after them the tonsils do not bleed, then this is catarrhal or pharyngitis, and if there is a mucosal defect and bleeding, you need to think about diphtheria and send the patient to an infectious hospital.

After all manipulations with a sterile swab from the surface of the tonsils, a smear is taken for microbiological examination. The detachable is spread on a nutrient medium, and after seven days, when the bacterial culture grows, it will be possible to say exactly which pathogen triggered the disease.

Antibiotic therapy and its inefficiency

Antibiotics for purulent pharyngitis are always used. The drugs of choice are penicillins, and in case of their ineffectiveness - cephalosporins or macrolides. This tactic of treatment is justified in the event that pharyngitis is caused by streptococcal bacteria. If the disease is caused by viruses, antibiotics will not only be ineffective, but also harmful. Because bacteria, which are constantly on the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, develop resistance to treatment. As a rule, the doctor does not wait for the results of bacteriological research, but prescribes medicines empirically. Later, he can adjust the therapy if the patient does not get better.

In order to properly assign treatment, the doctor should remember some features of the pathogen of purulent pharyngitis:

- To kill streptococcal bacteria, it is necessary to take antibiotics for at least ten days;
- the earlier you start treatment, the easier the course of the disease will be.

Sometimes a doctor can not immediately pick up an antibiotic that can stop purulent pharyngitis. Treatment is considered ineffective if symptoms persist for more than three days after initiation of therapy, and also if the pathogen is released after the end of antibiotic treatment. Such situations are more common in children, because they do not always exactly fulfill the doctor's prescription, and also are explained by the resistance of bacteria.

Prevention

Acute purulent pharyngitis is better prevented than treated. For this, you do not need to do anything specific. These rules will help prevent not only colds:

1. To wash hands. After walking on the street, traveling in public transport, before eating. If there is no possibility to use the bathroom, this is not a reason to neglect the rules of hygiene. Now there are a lot of antibacterial gels, napkins and sprays. Wear any of the mentioned items in your purse.
2. Cover your mouth during coughing and sneezing. Firstly, it's polite, and secondly, so you protect yourself and others from bacteria. It is necessary to teach your children this.
3. Try to use an individual set of dishes, napkins, towels and linen.